Head to Traverse City for a Foodie Vacation

One of my husband’s and my favorite spots for a weekend getaway is Traverse City. Recently we had a chance to celebrate our anniversary in that area and enjoyed every minute.

We stayed at the Bayshore Resort (view from our room shown above!). Although the beds were a bit on the hard side, the views were spectacular, the rooms were clean, and the breakfasts decent.

We decided to try the Filling Station Microbrewery before heading out for dinner. The beer was OK, the atmosphere very loud. It’s a nice place to head with friends for some flatbread (as long as you don’t plan on talking).

From there, we went to dinner at Red Ginger. The halibut with lobster risotto was spectacular! I loved the atmosphere and high quality of the food.

On Saturday, we decided to check out two wineries that were fairly new. We have been to most of the wineries several times, so we sought out Good Neighbor Organic and Silver Leaf Vineyard. My husband and I enjoy talking with the owners and prefer wineries that actually grow some (if not all) of the grapes. These two definitely fit the bill.

My husband was excited upon finding out that Good Neighbor also carries beer! Their cider was delicious, not too sweet, definitely clean. Our favorite was the Sunset Peach cider – perfect for sipping on the porch.

At Silver Leaf, we found the tasting room to be beautifully decorated with local artwork. There were several wines we liked here, too, including the Purple Passion which is a great sangria wine. Our tastes were skewed towards the sweet side on this trip–perhaps because it was our anniversary?

We could have spent several more hours touring, but decided to get lunch at Boone’s Prime Time Pub and head back to the hotel for a short nap before the winemaker’s reception, where we would get the scoop on all things Leelanau Peninsula. We love to visit Boone’s – it’s so cozy and you are guaranteed a good burger.

Our weekend was capped off by a reception with samples from the wineries and local restaurants. I discovered some new wines and restaurants that I will definitely want to try when I go back! There are simply too many wineries and good restaurants to just spend a weekend and not return. You can eat pretty much anywhere (non chain) and find a delightful surprise.

So, next time I go, what are some wineries and restaurants that YOU’D recommend?